“Meta to stop targeting UK citizen with personalised ads after settling privacy case”, 22 March 2025

The owner of Facebook and Instagram has agreed to stop targeting a UK citizen with personalised adverts after agreeing a settlement in a landmark privacy case that could set a precedent for millions of social media users.

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta also said it was considering charging UK users for an advert-free version of its platforms after the legal agreement that avoided a trial in the high court in London.

Tanya O’Carroll, a human rights campaigner, launched a lawsuit against the $1.5tn (£1.2tn) company in 2022, alleging it had breached UK data laws by failing to respect her right to demand Facebook stop collecting and processing her data in order to target her with adverts. Her stance was supported by the UK’s data watchdog, indicating that the case will set a precedent for millions of UK users of online platforms…

“This is an individual settlement, but I believe its ramifications extend far beyond me,” said O’Carroll…

On Friday, both sides settled the lawsuit, with O’Carroll claiming a “victory” after Meta committed to stop using her personal data to target her with bespoke adverts. O’Carroll’s argument was supported by the ICO [Information Commissioner’s Office], which said “people have the right to object to their personal information being used for direct marketing”…

Meta said it “fundamentally” disagreed with O’Carroll’s claims and took its obligations under the UK’s privacy law, GDPR, seriously. It added that it was weighing the option of introducing a subscription service in the UK, whereby users would pay a fee for an ad-free service. Advertising accounts for approximately 98% of Meta’s revenue…

Meta already offers a no-ads paid-for service in the EU after a 2023 ruling by the European court of justice, the highest in the EU.